Boca Raton City Council Tentative Budget Hearing - September 8, 2026

The Boca Raton City Council held a tentative budget hearing on September 8, 2026, at 5:15 PM. The meeting included a presentation on the proposed FY2026-2027 budget, millage rates, and capital improvements plan (CIP), followed by public comment and votes on three resolutions. Council members present: Mayor Andy Thomson, Deputy Mayor Michelle Grau, Councilmember Yvette Drucker, Councilmember Stacy Sipple. Councilmember Jon Pearlman was absent. The meeting adjourned at 6:52 PM.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Earl Starkoff (3260 St. Charles Way): Expressed general support for the budget, noting that it was the result of months of work. Suggested that staff begin a formal operational improvement process to identify efficiencies for future budgets, separate from current year decisions.
• William E. Crone (903 NE 2nd Street): Opposed the overall trend of increasing fees and taxes, stating that "everything is increasing except the residents" and called for a "diet" on city expenditures.
• Mike Liebelson (398 NE 3rd Court): Commended staff for a world-class presentation but argued that property tax collections have increased 57.4% over five years while CPI rose only 14% and population 1%. He urged focus on recovering the $80 million sent to Palm Beach County for PBSO services, which he called five times the impact of Amendment 3.
• Albert Kakacci (1499 W. Camino Real): Agreed with Deputy Mayor Grau on the need for parity between resident and non-resident user fees, and encouraged collaboration with the Beach and Parks District.
• Mike Liebelson (again): Stated that non-residents should pay a capital charge for using facilities funded by resident property taxes, and reiterated the county reimbursement issue.
• Steve Griffith (123 N. Ocean Boulevard): Supported increasing beach parking rates and suggested returning to a gatehouse attendant on the west side of Red Reef to charge the same fees as the east side.

Discussion Items

• Tentative Budget and Millage Rates Presentation (Mike Middleman, OMB): The proposed operating millage rate of 3.6476 mills (unchanged from FY26) is 4.39% above the rolled-back rate of 3.4941. Due to SB4F, a four-fifths (4/5) supermajority vote is required for adoption; if not achieved, the council can adopt the rollback rate with a simple majority. If no millage rate is adopted, no property taxes can be collected. The fire services assessment for residential properties would increase from $155 to $224 per year—the first increase since FY22. 41,413 notices were sent; 19 formal objections were received. 90% of commercial and 96% of industrial properties will see fee reductions due to a shift to per-structure billing. The general fund budget includes 24 new full-time positions, primarily for fire station 8 staffing (12 firefighters, 4 lieutenants, 4 EMS captains, 1 vehicle technician). Public safety accounts for 62% of the general fund. The CIP proposes $212 million in FY27, with top projects including wastewater upgrades ($28.5M), water treatment improvements ($49M), and the resident-led memorial park enhancement ($7.5M placeholder).
• Amendment 3 Impact Discussion: Staff noted that if passed in November, Amendment 3 would phase in $15-16 million in revenue reductions over FY28 and FY29, with no impact on the current budget. The council intends to develop a mitigation strategy rapidly after the vote.
• User Fee Schedule Presentation (Jean Michel Noll): Proposed CPI-based increases (3.4%) for cemetery, water/sewer, and stormwater fees. Other increases include development services fees, public works franchise fees (first rise in 10 years), police and fire rescue fees, recreation services fees (camp, golf, beach parking, dog beach, etc.), and parking citation fines. The Financial Advisory Board recommended approval on August 17, 2026.
• Resident vs. Non-Resident Fee Concerns (Deputy Mayor Grau & Councilmember Sipple): Both raised concerns that residents are competing with non-residents for limited facilities and that the city should verify residency for travel teams and sports leagues. They requested a comprehensive review of the fee structure. Staff confirmed that a joint meeting with the Beach and Parks District is scheduled for October 27, 2026, to discuss policy alignment. Mayor Thomson and Councilmember Drucker noted the increases were modest and appropriate for now, but supported future policy discussions.

Key Outcomes

• Resolution No. 102-2026 (Proposed Millage Rates): Adopted 4-0. Sets operating millage at 3.6476 mills and debt service at 0.0163 mills, total 3.6639 mills.
• Resolution No. 103-2026 (Tentative Budget): Adopted 4-0. Approves the FY2026-2027 budget as presented.
• Resolution No. 104-2026 (Fire Services Assessments): Adopted 4-0. Imposes fire assessments at the proposed rates (residential $224, with commercial/industrial decreases).
• Resolution No. 105-2026 (Amended User Fee Schedule): Adopted 4-0. Approves the updated fee schedule effective October 1, 2026.
• Next Steps: Staff will bring a comprehensive review of resident vs. non-resident fee policies and cost recovery to the council in future cycles, with initial discussions at the October 27 joint meeting with the Beach and Parks District. The final budget hearing is scheduled for later in September.